great
Usage
What are other ways to say great?
In reference to the size and extent of concrete objects, great is highly formal and even poetic, suggesting also that the object is notable or imposing, large is only somewhat formal, and big is the most general and most colloquial word: a great oak; a large tree; a big tree; great plains; a large field; a big field. When the reference is to degree or a quality, great is the usual word: great beauty; great mistake; great surprise; although big sometimes alternates with it in colloquial style: a big mistake; a big surprise; large is usually not used in reference to degree, but may be used in a quantitative reference: a large number (great number).
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
"The everyday average Joe like me, we're not doing great at all."
From Barron's ● Oct. 19, 2026
Murillo: He took a blow to the head in the first half which required treatment and almost grabbed an injury-time leveller following some great skill.
From BBC ● Oct. 18, 2026
People think about doing great things, but to say, “do small things” to a king, c’est formidable.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 18, 2026
Late last month, Bass and Lakers great Magic Johnson appeared together at an annual procurement “summit” at the Los Angeles Convention Center, to encourage small-business people to apply for work connected to the Olympics.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 18, 2026
“Look at the great lady, back in bed again! Are you going to lie there all day long?”
From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom
BBC Sport takes a look at what could be the end of the international careers of two football greats.
From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026
He wrote essays and conducted oral interviews with UFW greats such as Hartmire and Gilbert Padilla who were essential to the union’s success.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 18, 2026
Despite his tough start on the international stage, Messi went on to become one of the all-time greats, winning the World Cup and two Copa America titles with Argentina.
From BBC ● Aug. 31, 2026
A poetic circle: Wynton followed the greats, and posthumously, they followed him back.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026
Then, in the summer of 1954, Bobby had an opportunity to see in action some of the greats he’d been reading about.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
At the same time, Americans have gravitated in recent years toward larger vehicles, which hit pedestrians with greater force.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 18, 2026
Participants who consumed blueberries regularly experienced a greater and more consistent reduction in depressive symptoms, along with subtle changes in genes associated with gut microbial enzymes.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 18, 2026
"I'm clear that child health needs to be a much greater priority for the NHS," Cooper told the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg.
From BBC ● Oct. 18, 2026
Agriculture remains a sensitive area for India, which is reluctant to expose farmers to greater foreign competition.
From Barron's ● Oct. 18, 2026
The losses on subprime loans would be far, far greater.
From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis
There is no shortage of potential big fights, but bringing the champions together before mandatory obligations, rematches and boxing politics get in the way could prove the greatest challenge.
From BBC ● Oct. 18, 2026
Recruiting the talented Nghiem was one of the championship team’s greatest successes.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 18, 2026
However, positioning the electrodes correctly remains one of the greatest challenges.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 18, 2026
“We saw it in the theater and she was like, ‘That is the greatest movie I’ve ever seen.’”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 18, 2026
Leonardo, together with his cousin Enzo da Vinci, the finest stonemason in the world, were hailed as the greatest architects of their day; experts in the building of the most sophisticated fortifications and city walls.
From "Impossible Creatures" by Katherine Rundell
Vocabulary lists containing great
Spelling Practice, Unit 8
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Spelling Practice, Unit 8
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Spelling Practice 1, Unit 5
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